1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a one-way clutch used for an automatic transmission in an automobile for example and more particularly to a one-way clutch which incorporates an improved mechanical structure capable of securely preventing gear-tooth noise from occurring.
2. Description of the prior art
FIG. 5 shows a prior art one-way clutch which was proposed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1-307525 issued in 1989. As shown in FIG. 5, the one-way clutch has the following: an outer ring 2 which is mounted to a housing 1 by means of splines provided on an outer peripheral surface of the outer ring 2 and on an inner peripheral surface of the housing 1, an inner ring 3, a plurality of engagement members 4 which are respectively disposed between the inner and outer rings 3 and 2, a cage 5 which holds these engagement members 4 in specific positions, a spring member 6 which urges these engagement members 4 in one specific direction, a pair of end bearings 7 which are respectively disposed in opposite lateral positions between the inner and outer rings 3 and 2, and a pair of end bearing retainer plates 8 which are respectively secured to both end faces of the outer ring 2.
In the prior art one-way clutch shown in FIG. 5, a pair of snap rings 9 are secured to the housing 1 to cause a plate spring 10 disposed between one snap ring 9 and the outer ring 2 to press the outer ring 2 against the other snap ring 9. Thereby, the outer ring 2 is restrained from rotating around an axis and is also prevented from turning in conjunction with the inner ring 3 when the inner ring 3 reverses the direction of the rotation. Due to this mechanical structure, the prior one-way clutch prevents occurrence of gear-tooth noise which otherwise would be caused by collision of the projection of the housing 1 with projections (gear teeth) of the outer ring 2.
However, since the above one-way clutch needs a large plate spring 10 which is a separate component part, production cost is apt to be increased and assembly operation is apt to be complicated and troublesome
FIG. 6 shows another prior art proposing a solution to the problems inherent to the aforemen.tioned one-way clutch of FIG. 5. According to this prior art, the movement of the outer ring 2 is adapted to be restrained by , inserting a wavy spring 11 between the housing 1 and the outer ring 2.
The newly proposed one-way clutch of FIG. 6, however, still needs a wavy spring 11 as a separate component part, and yet, the proposed one-way clutch generates another problem that because the outer ring 2 is pressed radially inwardly by the spring force of the wavy spring 11, the end bearings 7 are eventually caused to wear.